A basking shark off the Scottish island of Coll, photographed by underwater photographer Alex Mustard.
"The trick to shooting these sharks is to spot the fin above the surface, swim into position, and float on the surface and wait," says Mustard. "With luck, this huge shark will come right past you."
More than two years ago, photographers and videographers in the United Kingdom embarked on a photography project called 2020VISION. The goal: to make clear the link between habitat restoration and the well-being of people. The team traveled to 20 locations throughout the U.K., hoping to produce stunning imagery that would convey the value of restoring often-fragmented ecosystems.
“On one of my assignments, I traveled to the west coast of Scotland to document basking sharks,” says Alex Mustard, one of the participating photographers. “It wasn’t so long ago that basking sharks were hunted in Scotland, so my aim was to show how these impressive animals can contribute to the local economy as living attractions.” The seas around the U.K. have the potential to be among the most productive and wildlife rich on Earth, says Mustard, “but even though the project is about Britain and British wildlife, the larger story is how humans view their local wild places.”
A roadshow event, which runs through 2015, showcases the imagery. Visit 2020v.org for details.
